"Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project 2020"

From the left, Business Information Manager & Market Support Manager Shinya Maeda,Director of Development Promotion Masaki Takahashi

Business Strategy Department Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project Secretariat / Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center

As "partner of small and medium enterprises", the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center is an organization that supports SMEs in various fields such as various management consultation, foundation, new product development, cultivation of sales channels, grant, cash management, training, seminars, and others. Here, we will introduce the "Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project 2020" that aims at spreading the business opportunities expected due to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2020 not only to small and medium enterprises in Tokyo, but also to small and medium-sized enterprises located across the country. We talked to Business Strategy Department Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project Secretariat Business Information Manager and Market Support Manager Shinya Maeda, and Director of Development Promotion Masaki Takahashi.

The information portal site "Business Chance Navi 2020" supports the expansion of order reception chances

"Business Chance Navi 2020" top page screen

“This project consists of three pillars: expanding opportunities for order acceptance, developing sales channels, and promoting the development of new products and new services. First of all, we are developing the ‘Business Chance Navi 2020’ which is about expanding the opportunities for order reception chance. This is an information portal site that saw its creation triggered by the Tokyo 2020 Games, as it consolidates bid and procurement information of public and private sectors in a unified way and supports the matching (negotiations) for accepting and ordering” Maeda says.
Maeda emphasizes that Business Chance Navi 2020 plays a very important role in this project.
“From April 2017, this site will be used for the electronic bidding procedure of the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games Tournament Organizing Committee (Organizing Committee) In principle, through this site we will take care of all process aspects, from the announcement of projects to the determination of successful bidders, Business owners wishing to trade with the organizing committee need to register on this site. It’s free, so please don’t hesitate to register” Maeda says.
After approximately 11 months since the establishment of the site, there are about 17,000 companies registered. "Business Chance Navi 2020" will be expanded as a new platform for orders from small and medium enterprises, and it is expected that it will be utilized as a "industry promotion legacy" after the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Major manufacturers and trading companies OB develop sales channels, and support matching, etc.

The "Business Frontier Fair" held in autumn 2016

The second pillar is developing sales channels. They introduced to us their main initiatives.
“First is ‘market support’. Business navigators such as a major manufacturer and a trading company OB offer support for the marketing development, matching, and other activities for new products, new technologies, and new services developed by SMEs” Maeda says.
With market support, as of the end of February, 2007, 52 products have already been adopted, and it is expected that future sales channels will expand.
“After that, it is the large-scale exhibition "Business Frontier Fai" that was held in autumn 2016. A total of 130 companies and organizations displayed their products related to the fields of sports and health, impediment removal, sightseeing, hospitality, etc. We are also considering efforts to support overseas deployment after FY2017, as we expect a diminution in domestic demand due to the declining population in the future” Takahashi says.

Demonstrate the power of small and medium enterprises in Tokyo with the "Going-Global Innovation Competition"

The 1st "Going-Global Innovation Competition" Award Ceremony

The third pillar is promoting the development of new products and services.
“What is encouraging that movement is the ‘Going-Global Innovation Competition’ that recognizes innovative and promising products, technologies and services developed by SMEs located in Tokyo. The first competition was held in 2016, and examination was conducted on two categories, ‘Product and Technology (venture technology) Category’ and ‘Service Category’
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike awarded a total of 24 companies in addition to 1 Grand Prix, 2 Excellence Awards, 2 Encouragement Awards, and Special Awards in each category” Takahashi says.
In 2017, this competition will be held for be the second time, and we are accepting applications until May 26. As last time, we intend to promote the development of new products and new services by offering recognition of winners, ad providing subsidies to support development, sales etc.
Using the opportunity to hold the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 as a chance, various business opportunities are expected in Japan over medium to long term. In addition to the excitement in Japan during this sports festivals, the industry will also be booming as a whole.
Through the "Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project 2020" which is developed based on the three pillars of expanding opportunities for order acceptance, cultivating sales channels, and promoting the development of new products and services, we have good expectations regarding an expansion of range in SMEs activities.

Business Strategy Department Small and Medium Enterprises Going-Global Project Secretariat